We've made it to the second edition of Court Rules, where former Unionville and current Harvard distance runner answers YOUR questions related to running. In her first column, Courtney gave some tips on strengthening the knees to prevent injuries.
New to the column? Read Courtney's introduction, learn about her resume and passion for running, and find out what Court Rules is all about.
This week we go Cooking with Courtney as Courtney discusses some nutrition tips. Check it out below:
Caelen Miller, a junior at Fox Chapel, asks...
Courtney Smith says...
My biggest nutrition advice is to eat as much real, unprocessed healthy food as possible! For everyone, especially runners, food is our fuel source. I enjoy eating lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean meats and fish, nuts/seeds etc. There's no one magic food that contains all the vitamins, minerals and macronutrients that you need so it's important to eat a variety. For instance, whole grains go beyond just your typical pasta or bread. There's also teff (my favorite), brown rice, millet, couscous, amaranth and many more! My favorite foods are probably sweet potatoes, salmon, spinach, avocado and bananas!
Another component of healthy eating is making sure you are eating enough. Everyone differs in the amount of food they need to be their healthiest so don't compare yourself to others, just focus on doing what is best for you! I usually try not to go more than a couple hours during the day without eating to keep my energy levels up. I also try to eat something like a piece of fruit or a hardboiled egg as soon as possible after I finish running to hit the "30-60 minute recovery window". This is especially important if you did a hard or long workout and if you are going to do strength or cross training after.
Chicken liver can be a great source of iron / Photo by Courtney Smith
Also, I recommend asking your parents and doctor about getting your iron/ferritin tested at some point. I know a lot of runners, myself included, who have struggled with a low ferritin level at some point. Even if you eat a very healthy, balanced diet, the physical demands of strenuous exercise on the body sometimes require nutrition beyond what is found in a typical diet. Taking supplements, however, does not give you an excuse to skip the healthy foods.
Personally, I rarely eat processed or junk food. It doesn't appeal to me since I always feel better and happier eating healthy foods so I don't really see unhealthy food as necessary. Just because food is healthy doesn't mean it can't taste good though. 
Cocoa Banegg / Photo by Courtney Smith
One of my infamous (but not necessarily original) recipes I call "cocoa banegg." It can be made either as pancakes in a pan or in a (microwave-safe) mug/mason jar in the microwave. I usually do the latter method for convenience. It's very simple: mix two eggs, a mashed-up ripe banana, and cocoa powder (pro tip: more mixing = more entrapped air bubbles = fluffier product). Pour into mug or onto pan, then cook until batter is no longer liquid at all. Depending on the strength of a microwave it usually takes between 1-3 minutes. I usually stop it every thirty second or so to check to make sure it doesn't boil over or burn. Once it's cooked and cooled to a reasonable temperature I usually add plain Greek yogurt and almond butter and enjoy!
Hope this helped and thanks for the question!
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